6 Oldest Railway Tunnel in the World

Railway tunnels play an essential role in the way the world functions! From making travel easier to transporting goods more quickly, railway tunnels are necessary to make things a little bit easier for us all.

It’s no secret that railway tunnels have been around for several centuries now. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the world’s oldest railway tunnels, their histories, and how long they’ve been around.

Let us dive right in!

6 Oldest Railway Tunnels

6. Gotthard Tunnel

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Gotthard Tunnel is another of the world’s oldest working railway tunnels. Built at the tail end of the 19th century, this tunnel is known for connecting the Airolo with Göschenen. It was constructed as a single bore tunnel.

It’s interesting to note that this tunnel was constructed to improve connectivity between various European countries. Many believed that even a single railway line between the Mediterranean Sea and the North Sea would help commercial opportunities and reduce travel time. Eventually, the Gotthard tunnel was designed and constructed, and remains in use even today. 

Did you know? 

The Gotthard Tunnel was the first tunnel that bypassed the St. Gotthard pass in the Saint-Gotthard Massif.

5. Fréjus Rail Tunnel

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is one of the oldest and longest railway tunnels in the world! Before this tunnel was constructed, transporting goods and traveling through the Alps was difficult, particularly for the Italians and the neighboring countries. Although many believed that constructed a railway line would be helpful, most people felt that the efforts to build a railway line would prove to be a fruitless effort.

Eventually, however, construction started on the Fréjus Rail Tunnel. As expected, there were several problems throughout the process of construction, such as a lack of ventilation while drilling through the mountains. However, after various setbacks, the tunnel was completed and remains in use today.

Did you know? 

The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is one of the most effective and highly-used methods of travel that helps connect Rome and Paris.

4. Box Tunnel

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Box Hill tunnel is one of the world’s oldest tunnels, and just like some of the other tunnels mentioned on this list, it is located in England! It is almost two miles long, and at the time that it was built, was the longest tunnel in both England and the rest of the world. It’s interesting to note that this tunnel was constructed and designed under the leadership and guidance of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a British engineer.

When this tunnel was constructed, many believed that it was too dangerous a project to be undertaken. This was due to how long the tunnel was, as well as the composition of the soil that lay beneath it. However, after various restrictions and setbacks, the Box Tunnel was eventually completed in 1841.

Did you know? 

During the Second World War, ammunition was stored near the Box Tunnel.

3. Liverpool Lime Street Railway Tunnel

Photo Source: Openverse

The Liverpool Lime Street Tunnel was built in the middle of the 19th century. It was constructed underneath Liverpool, and was built primarily to help transport construction materials at the time the Liverpool station was being built.

It’s interesting to note that there are still some remnants of the original tunnel available to view close to the Edge Hill railway station.

Did you know? 

The city of Liverpool boasts some of the world’s oldest railway stations.

2. Thames Tunnel

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Thames Tunnel is one of the oldest tunnels in the world. It was built at the beginning of the 19th century, between the years of 1825 and 1843. The engineer Marc Brunel worked on it with his son Isambard. At the time, the tunneling shield had just been invented by Thomas Cochrane and Marc Brunel, and they used it to build this tunnel!

When this tunnel was first built, it was used mainly by horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians. However, in modern times, this tunnel is now generally considered to be a tourist attraction. It’s interesting to note that a few years after its construction, the Thames Tunnel was later converted into a railway tunnel. It has since been a significant part of the London Underground network since 2010.

Did you know? 

The Thames Tunnel is known for being the world’s first tunnel that was constructed underneath a river! This feat is particularly notable due to the fact that the tunnel was built at a time when technology was not as advanced as it is today.

1. Fritchley Tunnel

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Fritchley Tunnel is widely considered to be the world’s oldest tunnel. It was first constructed towards the end of the 18th century and was built as a part of a tramway called the Butterly Gangroad. It’s interesting to note that this tunnel and the tramway that it was a part of linked various quarries with the Cromford Canal. 

This tunnel was constructed with sandstone. It also has a circular cross-section and an arched roof. One of the most interesting features of this tunnel is that a certain section of the line was removed and rebuilt in the 1840s. It remained in use until 1933 but has since been sealed and buried. Today, it is considered to be a monument.

Did you know? 

The Fritchley Tunnel served as an air raid shelter during the Second World War.

Conclusion

In this article, we walked you through a list of some of the world’s oldest tunnels. All of the tunnels mentioned in the list above are located in Europe, which we found pretty interesting! Although Europe is a pretty big continent, and travel today is easier, the 18th and 19th centuries did not have access to a lot of the technology that we do today. Therefore, it’s very interesting to note that the majority of the railway tunnels mentioned in our list were designed and constructed to improve commerce, travel, and trade.